Utah Mammoth’s 2024-25 Report Cards: Matias Maccelli

Maccelli scored his third goal of the season a couple of games later against the Blues. It would be his last goal for a while as the forward began to struggle. He only had four points combined between November and December. Head coach André Tourigny tried switching up the lines, which included putting Maccelli on the top line with Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton, but nothing came of it.

After being placed back on a line with Lawson Crouse, Maccelli opened up 2025 with a pair of goals against the Dallas Stars. He scored another pair of goals a couple of games later against the New York Rangers. His final goal with Utah came against the Winnipeg Jets in late January.

Shortly after the Jets’ game, Maccelli was healthy scratched for the first time during the season due to “internal reasons.” He returned in the next game, but was out of the lineup here and there until being scratched from Feb. 8 to March 20. Rumors swirled around Maccelli and him potentially being traded at the trade deadline. However, nothing happened, and the forward stayed in Utah.

Maccelli was put back in the lineup for Utah’s game against the Buffalo Sabres and remained in the lineup for two more games. However, he was once again put back in the press box and remained there until the end of the season.

In total, Maccelli played 55 games for Utah and produced only 18 points. It was a 39-point decrease from the prior season. His average ice time also went down to 13:44. It was a disappointment for everyone.

“It obviously was not what I was expecting, and I think that anyone was expecting coming into this season,” Maccelli said. “I think I improved the last couple of months, even though I didn’t play. I have to get back at it this summer and get better and have a better year next year.”

Maccelli mentioned that it was hard for him to sit up in the press box and watch his teammates try their best to help Utah make a run for a playoff spot. In the summer, he planned to work on getting stronger and working on his shot, and improving his play overall.

“I think it’s going to be more gym stuff this year,” Maccelli said. “I’ve been on the ice a lot lately, so trying to work on my strength, and probably a little more shooting, and just overall work a lot, and try to get better.”

The coaching staff also told Maccelli that they wanted him to get back to how he played in Arizona, being consistent and putting up a good amount of points.

Despite his poor season, Maccelli expressed how much he wanted to return to Utah, telling reporters that he loved his team, the city, and the fans. Unfortunately for him, he wouldn’t get a crack at redemption in Salt Lake City. Just a couple of weeks after his exit interview, Maccelli was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional 2027 third-round pick.

The Future

Trading Maccelli had to be done. With the additions of Brandon Tanev and J.J. Peterka, there was just no room for him in the lineup next season. It was also clear he had fallen out of favor with the Mammoth’s coaching staff, seeing that players like Liam O’Brien were being played ahead of him. In fact, a stat that is going unnoticed is that Crouse had the same number of points that Maccelli had, except he had played 26 more games than the Finn. 

Toronto is a great place for Maccelli to end up. With Mitch Marner being traded and signing with the Vegas Golden Knights this summer, it leaves a potential spot for the Finnish forward in the top six. He’ll also be surrounded by elite playmakers and scorers like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies. Not to mention, the Leafs are expected to be a competitive team this season.

When it comes to things Maccelli needs to work on, the mental game is a huge one. You could tell his confidence at times throughout the season wasn’t all there, and being healthy scratched for a good chunk of it didn’t help. A change in scenery should help.

Maccelli also mentioned his strength as a thing he’ll look to work on, which will help his overall game. His two-way play has always been a concern, as he’s not really a defensive-minded forward, and it should improve a bit under a coach like Craig Berube. However, his confidence is the biggest thing that he needs to improve.

For Leafs fans, the expectation next season for Maccelli is to bounce back to at least the 40-point range, if not more. If he makes the top six and is on the power play, it needs to happen. Maccelli’s contract also ends after next season, so if he wants to secure more money, his rate of production needs to return to what it was in 2023-24.

Final Grade

Was Maccelli’s poor season all his fault? A good portion of it can be placed upon him, but there were many factors at play. Utah got better, and their forward group improved, pushing him out of the lineup. It also felt like he and the coaches weren’t on the same page, which didn’t help his case when he tried getting back in the lineup come March and April.

Expectations were high entering the season, especially considering he had produced 57 points a year ago. However, declining to 18 points was one of the biggest disappointments for Utah last season, alongside Crouse’s decline to the same exact number of points.

Overall, Maccelli is getting a D-plus for his season. It was certainly a failure of a season for the one-time 57-point player. 18 points just isn’t good enough, and every single one of his stats declined from the prior season. Looking back at the 2023-24 Maccelli, it showed that he can be a dominant offensive player who can control the puck and the play. The 2024-25 version of the Finnish forward only showed glimpses of that.

Leafs fans should be excited for Maccelli, though. A clean slate in Toronto should really help him out. He’ll have the opportunity to get back to where his game was in Arizona and potentially play even better. If he can rebound and get back to his upward trajectory, he could be a big part of the Leafs and their first playoff appearance without Marner since the early 2000s. Who knows, he could even have the Mammoth regretting trading him.